Obamas name local student for scholarship for Public Service

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — President and Mrs. Obama, along with Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, announced today, Tuesday, August 27, the third cohort of Voyager Scholarship for Public Service recipients, including Easterlei Tuitasi from American Samoa.

Ms. Tuitasi is a Fa’asao/ Marist High School and an ASCC graduate where she was a member of the prestigious Phi Theta Kappa honor society. Born and raised in American Samoa, she aspires to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and pursue a career as a clinical psychologist. “My career vision is to work with American Samoa’s youth and to assist with local mental health programs,” she explained in an interview last year.

Recognizing the need to make sure the best and the brightest students can afford to go into public service to make communities across the world a better place to live, the scholarship will prove her and 99 other college juniors with:

Up to $50,000 in financial aid
Funding for a work-travel experience
A 10-year travel stipend
Mentorship through a network of leaders

This year’s cohort represents students from 44 states and territories and 88 colleges and universities. They’re interested in working on issues like health care access, technology, and reproductive rights. This year’s cohort reports a strong interest in public health—especially mental health—shaped by their experiences graduating high school during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to the robust programming, the Voyagers will also have the opportunity to meet with President Obama and Brian Chesky to talk about how to bridge divides and hear how they see the roles of empathy and understanding in leadership and public service.

The scholarship, created to inspire, empower, and connect the next generation of leaders, is funded by a $100 million personal contribution from Chesky to the Obama Foundation and is a two-year program that provides essential tools and resources to help students launch their careers in public service. The two-year program offers a transformative, comprehensive support package that includes financial aid, an immersive work-travel experience, and access to a strong network of Obama Foundation leaders and mentors.

“When Michelle, Brian, and I launched the Voyager Scholarship in 2022, we were excited to see what young people with a passion for public service could do when given the right support,” said President Obama. “The past two cohorts have shown tremendous passion, curiosity, and collaboration – all while working hard across their college campuses. Today, as we welcome our third cohort of Voyagers, I’m more hopeful than ever that our future is in good hands.”

“We created the Voyager Scholarship to help the next generation of leaders build bridges and develop the tools needed to take on the next generation of challenges,” said Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky. “The first two classes of Voyagers traveled to 80 countries, and embodied the spirit of creativity and community that are at the heart of this program. I’m thrilled to welcome our third cohort of Voyagers, and am inspired by how the program is evolving, with each group building on the last to design a better future."

This scholarship extends beyond financial support—it offers students impactful travel experiences that enrich their connections to new communities and cultures. The 2023 - 2025 cohort of Voyagers, now returning from their travel experiences through their “Summer Voyages,” explored 63 countries and 23 U.S. states and territories. The new class will have multiple opportunities to connect with past cohorts, sharing insights and building relationships.

The Obamas and Chesky are passionate about the transformative effect that exposure to diverse cultures and experiences can have on young people. In addition to their independent travels and personalized career coaching, Voyagers meet virtually each month to share insights, discuss challenges, and foster relationships both at home and abroad.